VOD Overdose is Movie Buzzers’ coverage of video-on-demand developments and upcoming films premiering on video-on-demand. With an increasing number of studios embracing VOD as a way to premiere and distribute films, this column covers movies that might be worth a look even though they aren’t playing at your local multiplex.
Yes, I actually did have time to do this week’s column despite our massive coverage of the Tribeca Film Festival. Let’s see what has been happening in the VOD world over the last two weeks…
Latest VOD News
Indiewire has the trailer for The Magic of Belle Isle, an upcoming Rob Reiner movie starring Morgan Freeman which will actually debut on VOD on June 1, a month before its July 6 theatrical release. Not sure if that will build the buzz Magnolia is looking for, but Reiner has been itching for a hit for the last several years. Hey, and a drunk Morgan Freeman is a great departure from his typical folksy-wise mentor role that he’s played for the last two decades. However, the poster, as shown above, is about as generic as they come.
Vyer Films continues to search the world for the most interesting international films you’re not seeing at your local theaters. Vyer’s latest release is The Lord’s Ride, a documentary about a French Gypsy community — but curiously, the film straddles the line between documentary and fiction. Check out the first few minutes here, and definitely continue to supper Vyer’s mission! In addition, Vyer has announced a partnership with MediaHound, another search engine that allows you to search for your favorite movies across multiple platforms, both physical and digital.
Despite the Tribeca Film Festival being in full swing, there are still SXSW Festival leftover films that distributors are picking over. The latest is the Olivia Munn and Paul Schneider comedy The Babymakers, which is about a couple who is unable to conceive so Schneider’s character naturally decides to a rob a sperm bank of a sample he deposited years ago (man, I’ve been there). Millennium Entertainment will release the movie on VOD on July 3, followed by a limited theatrical release on July 27.
Not only has preview screening pass distributor Cinemit teamed with Prescreen, but now Cinemit is working with Tugg, which allows audiences to book a movie on demand in their local theater if enough tickets are sold. The first film up is the Occupy movement documentary ReGeneration. While you’re over there, check out Melissa’s Dial M for Melissa column, okay? Make sure she knows I sent you!
Taking advantage of both VOD and the new Tugg platform is Focus World, who will release Extraterrestrial following this trailblazing model. To find out more about the movie and its creative release strategy, check out the press release here.
After seeing Knuckleball! I’m pumped for more baseball documentaries, so I’m looking forward to Ballplayer: Pelotero, which focuses on two teenage Dominican players who work toward receiving a major league baseball contract for their sixteenth birthdays. Strand Releasing will put the film out on July 13 for a day-and-date VOD/theatrical release.
Also, be sure to check out my VOD Overdose Extra story from last week, which reports on the upcoming VOD release of the lowest grossing film of all time!
Now on VOD… And We Reviewed It!
Here’s a sampling of recent VOD movies that Movie Buzzers has viewed and reviewed. Check your cable provider or the below online retailers:
Comic Con Episode IV: A Fan’s Hope (Review 6.5/10), available on Amazon and iTunes.
God Bless America (Review 7.5/10), available on Amazon.
ATM (Review 2/10), available on iTunes and Amazon.
A Lonely Place to Die (Review: 8/10), available on iTunes and Amazon.
Loosies (Reviews: 4/10, 5/10), available on iTunes and Amazon.
Roadie (Review: 4/10), available on Amazon.
Upcoming VOD Releases
(For films premiering on VOD platforms, or hitting VOD after limited theatrical runs.)
[D2V] denotes movie that is also being released direct to DVD and/or Blu-ray on the same day.
April 27:
Citizen Gangster
If you take Brett’s advice (and I recommend that you do), this is definitely a gangster film worth seeing (read his review here!)
May 1:
Get The Gringo
Mel Gibson’s next attempt at a comeback — though he’s been in the news lately for unfortunate reasons yet again — which looks like a lot of fun if you aren’t the type who has sworn off Gibson. Alex posted the latest trailer here.
May 4:
The Asylum Blackout
Formerly titled The Incident, this title is a lot more descriptive of the actual plot of this French film: three of cooks who work in an asylum, who are also in a rock band, are faced with their worst nightmare when a blackout knocks out the security systems just before dinnertime. Boy, those inmates look hungry in the trailer…
The Perfect Family
Though it originally appeared back in the 2011 Tribeca Film Festival, this movie had some good buzz because it stars Kathleen Turner, which is increasingly rare. Turner stars as a church mom trying to prove that she has the “perfect” family in the title. Alissa took a look at the trailer here. It also opens in eleven theaters.
May 8:
Humans Versus Zombies [D2V]
Well, perhaps the only thing I should tell you about this flick is that a number of reviewers were unsure if it is supposed to be a comedy, so… yeah.
Mother’s Day [D2V]
Though it gets a limited theatrical release on May 4, Mother’s Day — directed by Saw II, III, and IV director Darren Lynn Bousman — is a possible VOD winner. It’s a horror film with a great concept: a crazed family returns to a home they once lived in and terrorize the new owners.
May 11:
After Dark Action
Check out my write-up on this action-packed film series here!
Hick
Hick got savage reviews from the Toronto International Film Festival, but it stars Chloe Mortez, Blake Lively, Juliette Lewis, and Macaulay Culkin’s brother, so it might be worth a look. It has a limited theatrical release day-and-date.
Have news about an upcoming VOD movie? Want to have Movie Buzzers check out your upcoming VOD release? Contact me here!
Recent Comments